Sheinbaum Believes the UN Is Outdated; Points to Palestine, Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela as Examples
This article by Alonso Urrutia and Alma E. Muñoz originally appeared in the September 23, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.
Mexico City. In the framework of the start of the session period of the General Assembly of the United Nations, President Claudia Sheinbaum maintained that Mexico upholds the multilateral solution of conflicts, as established by the constitutional principles of Mexican diplomacy.
She considered that the organization is overwhelmed, as reflected in conflicts such as the genocide in Palestine, the war in Iran or the trade blockades on Cuba “or what happened in Venezuela.”
She emphasized that Mexico defends the peaceful settlement of disputes and the self-determination of peoples, which is why she questioned that the UN maintains a structure in which “the Security Council somehow controls, well, many of the decisions of the United Nations, which are five countries. The United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom. A good part of the decisions are concentrated there. We have said several here.”
-Does the genocide in Palestine clearly show that the UN is absolutely overwhelmed?
-Yes, that is why we talk about strengthening the United Nations in that multilateral vision. That is why we supported Michelle Bachelet at the time. Well, Bachelet, well, did not get through with these five nations that, let’s say, have the right of veto.
– Would a profound reform of the UN be required?
-It would be very good.
Sheinbaum maintained that at this moment it was not pertinent to attend the UN General Assembly:
There are moments when one decides to go and not to go.
President Claudia Sheinbaum
She came out in defense of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Velasco, who was questioned on social media for his participation in one of the UN meetings, underlining that his speech before the UN General Assembly will be on Friday.
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